Lorentz: OMB will give tech support for e-gov

As the Office of Management and Budget's first chief technology officer, Norman Lorentz will provide technical support for OMB's 24 e-government initiatives'up from 23, counting a newly added governmentwide payroll system'plus the Homeland Security Office.

Lorentz said he has authority to stop any e-government project that seems 'unsuccessful and ineffective.' But he ruled out altering efforts undertaken by Homeland Security. 'Tom Ridge and his lieutenants will own that,' he said. 'He's in charge of all the initiatives there.'

Each of the 24 e-gov projects, though interagency in nature, has a lead agency or what Lorentz calls a managing partner.

'As CTO, I own none of the technology,' he said. 'The technology is owned by the managing partners. I make sure the components brought to the table are robust and reliable.'

Lorentz said he has no plans to research new technology to implement the 24 initiatives.

'Most technology is readily available, but we will identify technology if we need to make some changes,' he said.

The managing partners will be 'my customers,' he said. 'My job is to make them successful. They will be accountable for their initiatives. Outcome is what matters, and that's faster service to the citizenry.'